Candy Pongal is a creamy, candy porridge like preparation made with rice, yellow moong lentils, jaggery and flavored with inexperienced cardamoms, cashews, raisins and ghee. Candy Pongal is also referred to as Sakkarai Pongal and Chakkara Pongal in South Indian languages is a festive dish historically made in the course of the Pongal Festival in South India.
About Candy Pongal
There are some South Indian recipes provided in temples which are a favourite with us – Ven Pongal, Curd Rice, Tamarind Rice, Paal Payasam and this candy Pongal. I’ve had these recipes as prashad (naivdeyam) in lots of South Indian temples and cherished their style.
Candy pongal is made with cooked rice and yellow moong lentils to which jaggery is added. Jaggery is Indian unrefined cane sugar and has a molasses-like taste and style. So you may think about what this candy pongal tastes like.
The flavorings added in sakkarai pongal are in fact inexperienced cardamom powder coupled with some cashews and raisins.
Throughout pooja or on auspicious days, I make sweets and supply them to the Mom Goddess. At any time when I supply something to the deities, I all the time add a pinch of edible camphor in these delicacies.
Although do word that including edible camphor in your candy pongal is completely optionally available.
I additionally add clove powder or clove to any savory or candy dish that I supply to the Devi. That is one thing which I observe in our household, as my mom and mother-in-law do the identical.
So on this chakkara pongal, I’ve powdered one clove and added it. Although including clove is optionally available.
I make candy pongal each in a stovetop strain cooker and the On the spot Pot. When making for extra parts or servings, the On the spot Pot could be very useful.
Right here I share making pongal in an everyday stovetop strain cooker with stepwise pictures and I additionally share the moment pot technique beneath.
Step-by-Step Information
How you can make Candy Pongal
To your ease of understanding and studying, I’ve divided your complete step-by-step recipe of candy pongal into 6 steps. In order that it’s simple for you.
- Roasting rice and moong dal
- Cooking rice & moong lentils
- Getting ready jaggery syrup
- Sweetening rice and lentils
- Frying dry fruits
- Making candy pongal
Roast Rice and Moong Lentils
1. Choose ½ cup rice and ⅓ cup moong dal first to do away with stones if any. Then warmth a small pan or a small kadai and add each the rice and moong lentils.
2. On a low warmth stirring typically roast each the rice and moong lentils, till they grow to be fragrant.
3. You solely must roast, till the moong lentils grow to be fragrant. You don’t require to brown them.
4. Now take the roasted rice and lentils in one other bowl or a strainer.
5. Rinse each the roasted rice and moong dal a few occasions with recent clear water.
Prepare dinner Rice and Moong Lentils
6. Drain nicely after which add each rice and lentils in a 3 litre strain cooker. Pour 3 cups water. The quantity of water can add is dependent upon the consistency you like and the standard of moong dal.
Largely I cook dinner the moong lentils for 8 to 9 whistles on medium warmth. Thus I add 3 or 3.25 cups water.
For faster cooking number of moong lentils, add 2.5 cups water and strain cook dinner for two to three whistles on medium warmth.
7. Stress cook dinner on medium warmth for 11 to 12 minutes or for 8 to 9 whistles.
8. When the strain calm down by itself within the cooker, then solely take away the lid. Test to see if the rice and lentils have softened properly and look mushy.
Tip: Add ½ to 1 cup sizzling water and blend totally, if you happen to get a separate texture of rice and lentils just like that of a Pulao.
9. Each the rice and the moong dal needs to be cooked very nicely and mushy. With a spoon barely mash the cooked rice and moong lentils.
If cooked nicely, then cowl with the lid and put aside. The consistency of the cooked rice and lentils is like that of a Khichdi.
10. In the meantime when the rice is cooking, crush seeds of 5 inexperienced cardamoms + 1 clove in a mortar-pestle.
If utilizing inexperienced cardamom powder alone, then you may add ½ teaspoon of it.
Put together Jaggery Syrup
11. Chop 115 to 120 grams jaggery. You must get about ½ cup tightly packed chopped or grated jaggery.
This a lot quantity of jaggery makes the sakkarai pongal simply candy. For extra sweetness, you may add ¼ cup extra.
On events I additionally use natural jaggery powder and add it on to the cooked rice+moong lentils.
Tip: In case you are utilizing jaggery or jaggery powder with out impurities, then you may add it on to the cooked rice+lentils combination.
12. Now take ½ cup water in a pan. Add the chopped jaggery.
13. On a low to medium flame, warmth this jaggery resolution till the jaggery melts fully.
14. Do stir and break the jaggery chunks or items with a spatula or spoon in order that they soften simply.
15. Let the syrup bubble up a bit. You will get an amber coloured syrup when all of the jaggery is melted, you probably have used darkish jaggery.
If in case you have mild coloured jaggery, then the colour might be pale yellow to yellow. If you’d like you may thicken the syrup extra.
Sweetening Rice and Lentils
16. Straining the jaggery syrup by means of a fantastic mesh strainer or tea strainer, straight add it within the cooked rice+lentils combination. If utilizing natural jaggery powder, you may add it straight.
17. Now add the crushed cardamom and clove powder and a pinch of edible camphor (optionally available).
18. Combine the whole lot very nicely. The chakkara pongal will thicken because it cools. So if the combination appears thick, then you may add ¼ to ⅓ cup sizzling water.
Frying Cashews and Raisins
19. Warmth 4 to five tablespoons ghee. You possibly can add a bit much less ghee if you happen to choose.
20. Add 12 to fifteen cashews. You possibly can maintain the cashews complete or halve or chop them.
21. Fry the cashews till they grow to be mild golden.
22. Then add 1 tablespoons raisins.
23. Start to stir and fry.
24. Stirring typically fry till the raisins swell and grow to be plump.
Make Candy Pongal
25. Then instantly take away the pan from the range high and add the fried cashews, raisins and ghee to the cooked rice and lentils.
26. Combine very nicely.
27. Supply to the Goddess or you may serve candy pongal sizzling or heat to your loved ones members.
You possibly can garnish sakkarai pongal with among the fried cashews and raisins whereas serving.
Variations
- With milk: Some model of candy pongal are made with milk. So you may undoubtedly add milk instead of water on this recipe. Milk will make the chakkara pongal barely richer and creamier.
- With sugar: Although jaggery is historically utilized in making sakkarai pongal, however you may substitute it with uncooked sugar or white sugar. Sweeteners like coconut sugar or palm sugar additionally make glorious substitutes.
- Wholesome elements: Rice and moong lentils are once more the norm in a candy pongal. Although in fact you may deviate and make sakkarai pongal with cracked wheat (dalia), millets or oats.
How you can make Candy Pongal in On the spot Pot
Comply with these steps to make candy pongal in your IP:
- First roast the rice and lentils individually in a frying pan or a skillet. Then rinse each the rice and lentils a number of occasions with water.
- Add the rinsed rise and lentils to the metal insert of a 6 quart On the spot Pot.
- Pour 3.5 cups water. Stress cook dinner on excessive strain for six to 7 minutes. Do a fast strain launch after 10 to 12 minutes.
- Should you see that the consistency is thick or with separate grains, then pour some water. Combine and press the sauté button to simmer the combination for a few minutes.
- Add the bottom cardamom and clove powder. Make the jaggery syrup and add it. Later fry the cashews, raisins individually and blend it with the cooked rice and lentils. Serve Candy Pongal sizzling or heat.
Knowledgeable Suggestions
Ingredient Notes
- Sweeteners: Jaggery imparts a stunning earthy molasses-like style in sakkarai pongal. Should you do not need jaggery, then add uncooked sugar or white sugar in the identical quantity. Palm sugar and coconut sugar additionally work splendidly in a candy pongal.
For extra sweetness, you may add ¼ cup extra jaggery. On events, I additionally use natural jaggery powder and add it on to the cooked rice+moong lentils. Jaggery could be simply bought on-line or on amazon.
- Ghee: You possibly can add a bit much less ghee if you happen to choose that. Extra ghee will certainly make the chakkara pongal wealthy and extra flavorful.
- Rice: Any medium or short-grained non-sticky rice can be utilized. Typically, in the course of the pongal pageant, freshly harvested rice is used. If you may get freshly harvested rice, then do make the candy pongal recipe with it.
- Spices: Cardamom is a vital spice. However you may omit clove and edible camphor.
Recipe Notes
- Cooking lentils: Relying on the standard of moong dal you regulate the quantity of water and strain cook dinner for much less or extra time. I strain cook dinner the lentils for 8 to 10 whistles and add 3 or 3.25 cups water. In case your moong lentils cook dinner quicker, then add 2.5 cups water and strain cook dinner them for two to three whistles on medium warmth.
- Cooking in a pan: You possibly can simply make chakkara pongal on the stove-top in a pot or pan. Dry roast the rice and lentils first. Add them in a pan with 4 to 4.5 cups water and cook dinner till softened. Do add extra water if required.
- Proportion of rice and lentils: In my recipe, the proportion of rice is barely extra. Equal proportions of moong lentils and rice additionally work nicely.
- Scaling: You possibly can simply double or triple this recipe of chakkara pongal to make a big batch.
- Storage: If in case you have any leftovers then retailer within the fridge for 1 to 2 days. I might not advocate freezing because the style is not going to be the identical and it’s all the time higher to eat rice and lentils freshly cooked. After refrigeration, if the consistency appears very thick or lumpy, then add some sizzling water or milk to skinny it barely.
Extra South Indian Sweets!
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Sweets Recipes
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Candy Pongal | Sakkarai Pongal | Chakkara Pongal
Candy Pongal additionally referred to as Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara Pongal in South Indian languages, is a creamy, candy festive preparation of rice, moong lentils, jaggery and flavored with inexperienced cardamoms, cashews, raisins and ghee.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Prepare dinner Time 15 minutes
Complete Time 20 minutes
Forestall your display screen from going darkish whereas making the recipe
Roasting rice and moong dal
Choose the rice and moong dal first to do away with stones if any. Then warmth a small pan or a small kadai and add each the rice and moong lentils.
On a low warmth stirring typically roast each the rice and moong lentils, until they grow to be fragrant.
You solely must roast until the moong lentils grow to be fragrant. No must brown them.
Now take them in one other bowl.
Rinse each the roasted rice and moong dal a few occasions with water.
Cooking rice and moong lentils
Drain nicely after which add them in a strain cooker.
Pour 3 cups water. The quantity of water you may add is dependent upon the consistency you like and on the standard of moong dal.
Stress cook dinner on medium warmth for 11 to 12 minutes or for 8 to 9 whistles.
- Let the strain calm down by itself within the cooker. Then take away the lid to verify the doneness and consistency of the rice and lentils. Should you see a separate texture like that of a pulao/pilaf, then add ½ to 1 cup sizzling water and blend very nicely.
- Each the rice and the moong dal needs to be cooked very nicely and look mushy. With a spoon, barely mash the cooked rice and moong lentils. If cooked nicely, then cowl with the lid and maintain apart. The consistency of the cooked rice and lentils is sort of a khichdi.
Getting ready jaggery syrup
- In the meantime when the rice is cooking, crush seeds of 5 inexperienced cardamoms + 1 clove in a mortar-pestle. If utilizing cardamom powder alone, then you may add ½ teaspoon of it.
Chop jaggery. You must get about ½ cup tightly packed, chopped or grated jaggery. This a lot quantity of jaggery makes the pongal simply candy.
Now take ½ cup water in a pan. Add the jaggery.
On a low to medium flame, warmth this jaggery resolution till the jaggery melts fully.
Do stir and break the jaggery chunks or items with a spatula in order that they soften simply.
You’re going to get an amber coloured syrup when all of the jaggery is melted, you probably have used darkish jaggery. If in case you have mild coloured jaggery, then the colour might be pale yellow to yellow.
Sweetening cooked rice and lentils
Straining the jaggery syrup by means of a fantastic mesh strainer, straight add it within the cooked rice and lentils combination. If utilizing jaggery powder, you may add straight.
Now add the crushed cardamom+clove powder and a pinch of edible camphor.
Combine the whole lot very nicely. Pongal will thicken because it cools. So if the combination appears thick, then you may add ¼ to ⅓ cup sizzling water or sizzling milk.
Frying cashews and raisins
Warmth 5 tablespoons ghee. You possibly can add much less ghee in order for you.
Add the 12 to fifteen cashews. Saute the cashews until they grow to be mild golden.
Then add 1 tablespoons raisins. Start to stir and fry.
Stirring typically fry till the raisins swell and grow to be plump.
Making candy pongal
Then instantly take away the pan from the stovetop and add the fried cashews, raisins and ghee to the cooked rice and lentils.
Combine totally.
Supply to the Goddess or you may serve candy pongal sizzling or heat to your loved ones members.
Variations
- With milk: Some variations of candy pongal are made with milk. You possibly can add milk instead of water on this recipe. Milk will make the sakkarai pongal barely richer and creamier.
- With sugar: Although jaggery is historically utilized in making sakkarai pongal, you may substitute it with uncooked sugar or white sugar, or rock sugar. Sweeteners like coconut sugar or palm sugar additionally make nice substitutes.
- Wholesome elements: Candy pongal is all the time made with rice and moong lentils. However you can also make it with cracked wheat (dalia), millets, or rolled oats.
Making Candy Pongal within the On the spot Pot
- Firstly, roast the rice and lentils individually in a frying pan or skillet. Rinse and add these to the metal insert of your IP.
- Pour 3.5 cups of water. Stress cook dinner on excessive strain for six to 7 minutes. Do a fast strain launch after 10 to 12 minutes.
- Should you see that the consistency is thick or with separate grains, then pour some water. Combine and press the sauté button to simmer the rice and lentil combination for a few minutes.
- Add the bottom cardamom and clove powder. Make the jaggery syrup and add it. Later fry the cashews, raisins individually and blend it with the cooked rice and lentils. Serve sizzling or heat.
Ingredient notes
- Sweeteners: Jaggery imparts a stunning earthy molasses-like style. Should you do not need jaggery, then add uncooked sugar or white sugar in the identical quantity. Palm sugar and coconut sugar additionally work splendidly in a candy pongal. For extra sweetness, you may add ¼ cup extra jaggery. On events, I additionally use natural jaggery powder and add it on to the cooked rice+moong lentils. Jaggery could be simply bought on-line or on amazon.
- Rice: Any medium or short-grained non-sticky rice can be utilized. Typically, in the course of the pongal pageant, freshly harvested rice is used. If you may get freshly harvested rice, then do use it to make candy pongal.
- Ghee: You possibly can add a bit much less ghee if you happen to choose that. Extra ghee will certainly make the chakkara pongal wealthy and extra flavorful.
- Spices: Cardamom is a vital spice. However you may omit clove and edible camphor.
Recipe notes
- Cooking lentils: Relying on the standard of moong dal you may regulate the quantity of water and strain cook dinner for much less or extra time. I strain cook dinner the lentils for 8 to 10 whistles and add 3 or 3.25 cups water. In case your moong lentils cook dinner quicker, then add 2.5 cups water and strain cook dinner them for two to three whistles on medium warmth.
- Cooking in a pan: You possibly can simply make candy pongal on the stove-top in a pot or pan. Dry roast the rice and lentils first. Add them to a pan with 4 to 4.5 cups water and cook dinner till softened. Do add extra water if wanted.
- Proportion of rice and lentils: In my recipe, the proportion of rice is barely extra. Equal proportions of moong lentils and rice additionally work nicely.
- Scaling: You possibly can simply double or triple this recipe of chakkara pongal to make a big batch.
- Storage: If in case you have any leftovers then retailer them within the fridge for 1 to 2 days. I might not advocate freezing because the style is not going to be the identical and it’s all the time higher to eat rice and lentils freshly cooked. After refrigeration, if the consistency appears very thick or lumpy, then add some sizzling water or milk to skinny it barely.
Diet Information
Candy Pongal | Sakkarai Pongal | Chakkara Pongal
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 412 Energy from Fats 144
% Every day Worth*
Fats 16g25%
Saturated Fats 8g50%
Polyunsaturated Fats 1g
Monounsaturated Fats 4g
Ldl cholesterol 33mg11%
Sodium 18mg1%
Potassium 121mg3%
Carbohydrates 61g20%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 28g31%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 41IU1%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin Ok 2µg2%
Calcium 36mg4%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 3µg1%
Iron 2mg11%
Magnesium 31mg8%
Phosphorus 69mg7%
Zinc 1mg7%
* % Every day Values are primarily based on a 2000 calorie weight-reduction plan.
This Candy Pongal recipe from the archives first revealed in July 2016 has been republished and up to date on January 2022.
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